Detectives in Mombasa have apprehended a robbery suspect following the viral spread of a disturbing CCTV video depicting a violent assault on a security guard, which prompted a determined search by authorities.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed the arrest in a statement, noting that “a team of officers from the Mombasa DCI Regional Headquarters, alongside their counterparts from DCI Urban and Tononoka Police Station, have successfully detained a notorious robbery suspect.”
The widely viewed footage shows the suspect, wielding a machete and with an accomplice, confronting a defenseless watchman before stealing his mobile phone and escaping.
The incident provoked widespread public anger and intensified demands for decisive measures against criminal activities in the coastal city.
According to DCI officials, forensic evidence led officers to Bondeni “A,” where they located Salim Keya Ngesa hiding at a local guest house before making the arrest.
“Forensic analysis enabled officers to trace Salim Keya Ngesa to a guest house in Bondeni ‘A,’ where he had concealed himself and was subsequently taken into custody,” the agency reported.
Police confiscated six various mobile phones, a blood-stained machete, two knives, and a grey robe that reportedly matched the attire visible in the surveillance footage.
Investigators categorized these items as “crucial evidence” connecting the suspect to the assault.
The DCI stated that the individual is now in custody and being processed for an imminent court appearance.
“Authorities are actively pursuing his fleeing accomplice, who has not yet been apprehended,” the announcement mentioned.
The apprehension represents a substantial advancement in combating violent robberies in Mombasa, as law enforcement redoubles its commitment to ensuring justice for all parties involved.